Death to the Pearl!

So first it was the Samsung A920

He and I had gone thru many years of blissful companionship with very few if any drawbacks.

Then I realized I needed more.

I needed an actual web browser and a real smart phone not a the knock off multimedia giant that had my true views blinded by massive media format support and awesome video playback. I needed html and not wap. I needed a blackberry.

Now most that know me, know I’m a total gadget hound and if it’s under $50 and is shiny and techie I want it. But over the years Tom, has weened me from this habit, especially after the ClipTalk incident of ’98 (ironically I found that lil bugger in box one day and it still worked). Nonetheless some of my decisions for buying these lil gadgets have been needless to say not the brightest.

I knew when i was looking at a new phone I had to take my time and really look at the best ones to get that would fit me, and after a few weeks I decided on the pearl.

Granted an advantage I did have with this situation was that Deborah, had just gotten one herself so I was able to kinda play around with it before purchasing and a few days later I opted that it would fit my needs well. This of course was based on the fact it was smaller than the Curve and Treo as well as had full mp3 ringer support, picture and video support and built in SMS and Email support.

But of course nothing is perfect, and with the Pearl came some “questionable possibilities”, the 1st being it being an open faced phone. ever since my 1st cell back in WorldCom days I’ve never liked open faced phones. Mainly due to the fact if you have other stuff in your pockets the phones always get scratched up, and even worse if all the have is a keypad locking system, as other items in the phone can unlock the phone and begin a barrage of unexpected pocket dialing. So of course within hours of getting the phone and services activated and working I’ve already called 911 like 10 times from my pocket. it wasn’t till later that i found the suspend feature which resolved that issue, but hindered using the phone with headphones on the bike as every time i would unlock the phone it would pause the music, which led to a very strict series of screen key commands to allow it to work flawlessly.

I also found out that the phone doesn’t allow me to send pictured as sms messages, I had already succeed to the fact that sprint makes their users go to the pcs site to see picture and video messages that were sent to them, but now come to find out i can only send media via email and the exclusive BB messenger. So now here i sit writing this while i stare at my useless phone that seems to have lost the abilities to use the button function of the track ball. I’ve exhausted all current solutions, including performing mid day surgery with blunt instruments to clean the ball itself, and thanks to Google have come to learn that if the ball stops clinking and responding to pressure applied, then it is actually the main board of the phone that is 9 out of 10 times broken.

So now i sit, and watch the clock tick away, waiting for the minutes to try and fly away , searching for local sprint stores to go to and see if it can be replaced or if I might has well turn it in for an upgrade to the Blackberry Curve.

Another open faced phone but with a wider footprint and recessed trackball also the curve supports more video formats and allows for picture sms messages. Either way it’s be a nice change from the pearl, who came out strong but in the end seemed to lose more than strength, it lost it’s appeal.

Then again who know maybe I’ll break down and go back to ATT and get an iPhone.